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Western Bulldogs 4.3 5.7 7.11 10.13.73 Collingwood 4.1 5.2 10.4 13.4.82
Goals
Western Bulldogs: Schache 3, Lloyd 2, Dickson 2, Suckling, Lipinski, Daniel Collingwood: Reid 3, De Goey 2, Phillips 2, Grundy 2, Cox 2, Brown, Mihocek
Alex Docherty’s Best
Western Bulldogs: Macrae, Daniel, Dunkley, Lipinski, Bontempelli, Suckling, Lloyd Collingwood: Grundy, Sidebottom, Treloar, Crisp, Phillips, Reid, Hoskin-Elliott
As a supporter of the Western Bulldogs, this was a result that hurts as well and truly as the rest this season – and we have seen some rotten performances over the course of 2019.
Not that this one of them, it was actually a very good performance from the Doggies this weekend against a highly valued side such as Collingwood. What stings the most is knowing that the Bulldogs had controlled this contest for about 70 percent of the contest, but they couldn’t get the job done, with Collingwood running out nine-point winners under the roof of Marvel Stadium.
The loss leaves the Bulldogs at with five wins and eight losses after 13 games and hopes of their first finals berth since the premiership are fading fast. It was scrappy at times, but this was an entertaining game all round. After getting the opening goal in the opening minute through Sam Lloyd, Collingwood flexed a bit of their muscle early, kicking four goals in relatively quick succession.
By halfway through the first quarter it was a 19-point Collingwood margin, and it was beginning to be a question of how much. But the Bulldogs looked to have other ideas. A bit like their game last week against Carlton, when they looked on, they are a good team to watch – they forced turnovers all over the ground and were very nice in the transition from defence to the forward line. As a result, they overturned that 19-point deficit to take a two-point lead into quarter time.
The second quarter was where the game was lost for mine. It went a full 20 minutes without anyone from any side kicking a goal. It must’ve been a large portion of that where the Bulldogs went forward and they had opportunity after opportunity to make something happen. But nothing eventuated. It was either turned over around the half-forward line and in the off chance a Doggies player got their hands on it inside attacking 50, they made a meal of it.
I love Aaron Naughton, but he needs to be pointed out here. He’s played 13 games as a key forward now this season, and his kicking for goal is still as bad as it was in round one – there has been no genuine improvement, his set-shot miss in the second quarter needed to be a goal. From the corresponding kick in it was worked the other end in about 30 seconds and resulted in a Jordan De Goey goal. Before that, there were some gettable shots from the likes of Marcus Bontempelli, Sam Lloyd and Matt Suckling that could’ve been six points if they were worked better.
I think this 20 minute period in the second term has summed up the Bulldogs’ season to the letter – they are just not good enough. For so long now, supporters have been lamenting a lack of forward structure and poor entries in the forward 50. When the hell is that going to change? It is beyond frustrating to watch this sort of stuff week after week with little to no signs of improvement. This team won't be playing finals until this gets fixed.
Even though the Bulldogs cancelled out that De Goey goal with one of their own just before the half time siren, you just knew that they had wasted their chance to really put the Magpies to the sword, and that they were going to pay for it somewhere in the second half.
The Dogs had more chances to put some goals on the board. Roarke Smith had an easy shot that pulled right. Suckling was dead in front from long range and went left, badly and Bailey Williams missed a shot from long range as well. After a nice kick from Josh Schache levelled the scores, the Pies kicked three goals late to open up a 17-point buffer late in the term, before Schache again came through with a goal to put the Dogs within two goals by the final break.
The frustration you could say reached the breaking point in the final term. Again the Bulldogs more than ample opportunity to try and put the result in their favour, but quite a number of their forward 50 entries were intercepted or just horribly placed kicks. Sure enough, the Magpies finished off the job with big goals to Brodie Grundy and Mason Cox. Give the Dogs some credit though, they kept on plucking along and turned what was going to be a four-goal loss, maybe more, into just a nine-point deficit.
Call it a positive if you like, the effort was certainly there, but there is still a ton of work to be done in the future. If they can’t tidy up their forward 50 entries, then the supporters will be continued to be subjected to watching this side kick themselves out of contests like they did on Sunday.
Leading The Way
There were a lot of midfielders that turned up for big games. Jack Macrae (42 disposals, eight marks, 13 tackles, eight inside 50s and four clearances) was the standout Bulldog, whilst Josh Dunkley (35 disposals, seven clearances, six marks and eight inside 50s) backed up his big game last week, but went at only 45 percent efficiency. I also liked Marcus Bontempelli’s game in the middle (30 disposals, 10 clearances, six rebound 50s and seven tackles), winning a lot of ball when the Dogs needed someone to step up.
It usually isn’t a review without mentioning Caleb Daniel’s influence in the back-half. He posted another 30+ disposal game – making it eight games this season he has done so – with 35 touches, seven rebound 50s, six marks and kicked a ripping goal in the final term when the Bulldogs were on the canvas. Also looking Patrick Lipinski’s game, he continues his fine form with a career-high 32 disposals along with seven marks and a goal.
Sam Lloyd was the Bulldogs’ most dangerous forward and has been for most of this year. He kicked two goals, but he should’ve had maybe four or five – he missed a few easy ones. Not only is he a dangerous target inside 50, he works up the ground as well, earning 16 disposals, six marks and three inside 50s. I liked Josh Schache’s return game as well, kicking three goals and making more of an effort with his contests, which is needed in this day and age.
The Opposition
The last time these two teams squared off, the man of the match was one Brodie Grundy. On Sunday, he managed to better his performance in round four with a dominant all-round display. Poor Tim English was never going to best him in the hitouts, but his work around the ground was second-to-none. 25 disposals, 50 hitouts and two goals – no one in the history of the VFL/AFL has a ruckman done that. Furthermore, he had himself eight marks, six clearances and five inside 50s in a best-on-ground performance.
Steele Sidebottom (33 disposals, five rebound 50s and five inside 50s) and Adam Treloar (36 disposals, 11 clearances and eight tackles) were the most damaging midfielders. Treloar benefitted from Grundy’s ruckwork and Sidebottom controlled the wings superbly. Tom Phillips started the game beautifully with two goals in the opening term and finished with 21 disposals and five tackles to go with his two majors, whilst Jack Crisp (33 disposals and eight marks) was very good in defence.
The loss of Jaidyn Stephenson meant that they needed some cover and they got that in the form of his replacement in Ben Reid who presented solidly and gave the Pies three goals in a good performance. Mason Cox kicked two and Brody Mihocek kicked one – maybe they can work cohesively as a key trio. Will Hoskin-Elliott’s game across half-forward (19 disposals, 10 marks and four inside 50s) was pretty underrated and given the fact that they are missing Stephenson and Jamie Elliott, he’ll be a big piece to the forward line come the end of the season.